How to Bring Back Your Old Rotary Phone

Maker “bicapitate” has shown on Imgur his new creation: a 1961 Western Electric Model 500 rotary phone converted into a cellphone using an Arduino sbc.

The Western Electric Model 500 includes a generous amount of space inside, enough room in fact for an Arduino Uno along with a tiny Adafruit FONA module for cellular capabilities.

It appears that the Arduino Uno takes pulses from the rotary input, then makes calls via the FONA. A DC motor drives the bell to indicate a call is being made, and the original headset, possibly modified with a new speaker and mic, is used for audio.